


Flowers Like White Stars

by starfleetdicks



Series: McSpirkHolidayFest Prompt Fills [12]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bookstore, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Human Spock (Star Trek), M/M, Pop Culture, The Lord of the Rings References
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-11
Updated: 2018-06-10
Packaged: 2019-05-20 20:37:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14901570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starfleetdicks/pseuds/starfleetdicks
Summary: Jim had missed out on telling Bones just how he felt. Now, there was a sexy doctor somewhere, taking Bones away. Going on fancy dates to fancy restaurants that Jim could never afford. Probably talking about medical stuff that was way over Jim’s head.A OTP becoming OT3 fill for mcspirkholidayfest's Halfway to a Threeway event on tumblr.





	Flowers Like White Stars

**Author's Note:**

> Written for a special mcspirkholidayfest round called Halfway to a Threeway, the prompt was to use the song _Jolene_ by Dolly Parton while transforming McKirk into McSpirk. 
> 
> Title (and chapter titles) are all references to J.R.R. Tolkien's _Lord of the Rings_. 
> 
> Special appearences by bookshop employees: Gaila (Vondem), Pavel Chekov, Hikaru Sulu, Zahra (Jamal), G.P. Hendorff. You can find Evermind Bookshop at 1701 Main Enterprise Way in San Francisco.

Jim kicked over no less than five piles of books as he shuffled through the dark. He dropped his satchel on the ground and knelt. In the glow of the street lamps outside, Jim could tell he’d kicked over an entire section of Little Golden Books. Which begged the question: why had five stacks of kids’ books made it near the front door? 

Gaila had the closing shift. The chances of her arranging for a children's activity or a special event were definitely high. 

Jim gave his employees pretty free range to spice up the bookshop. Although the seating area downstairs in the basement’s back corner was off limits. His first hire, Sulu, had convinced Jim that he needed a coffee shop with small food options. The quiet corner was meant for over-worked corporate employees, hipster writers, and anyone who wanted to read a book before they purchased. The first floor, right off the Main Enterprise Way, had an all-window store front. It was perfect for hosting events, usually helping pull in the crowds walking by, or fancy window displays. 

Unless they were doing end-of-the-year inventory. Jim had figured out two years in that he had to tape up butcher paper during that time of year. People would yank on the doors otherwise, convinced they were open cause all five employees were in various piles of books, diligently cataloging and counting. 

Otherwise, Evermind Bookshop was a sleepy little place. 

Jim’s store basically survived off of regulars, the coffee shop in the basement, and his own odd jobs on the weekends so he could afford employees. It had been a dream of his. When Uncle Frank had been storming around the house, Jim would be up on the roof, staring at the stars and imagining a hole-in-the-wall space. Cluttered with a thousand books with broken spines and dog-eared pages. Stacks so tall that you’d need a ladder. It was a dream that had kept him out of jail. Although, he hadn’t finished college despite his love of literature. Turned out that you didn’t need a college degree to start your own business. 

Although, Jim imagined that the really nice bookshops with fancy author visits were ran by card-carrying English majors with Master’s degrees. 

Little Goldens freshly stacked, Jim went back to opening up the shop. His satchel stashed and the lights on, it was a proper bookshop: tall bookshelves, artsy rugs, robin’s egg blue walls with an orange accent, and four different genre display tables. Every shelf was crammed tight with a collection of books Jim had amassed over the years from classmates, friends, and anonymous donors. Although, Jim tended to give half his donated romance and mystery novels to the senior home down the block. He’d be buried in a pile by the end of the week otherwise. 

Jim turned on the shop’s radio and flipped the door sign to say open. 

“Are you playing country music?” Sulu asked as he walked in for the mid-day shift hours later. “Oh my god, and old country music at that. Have the hipsters fled the basement in disgust? Can I flee in disgust?” He pushed his sunglasses up to perch on the top of his head and pulled a face at Jim.

“You know, in Iowa, country music is all the rage. It’s all they played at prom.” Jim couldn’t help but give Sulu a shit-eating grin. 

“This is San Fran, Kirk. You’re killing me. Is it on downstairs too?”

Jim handed Sulu his black apron and white name badge from behind the counter. “You’re lucky I like our regulars. Downstairs is in full quiet mode. No country for your poor little ears. Although _Jolene_ is a god tier country song, a gift. You should appreciate a goddess when you hear one.”

Sulu rolled his eyes. He pulled his apron on over his casual clothes and pinned his name on perfectly first try. A skill Jim had yet to figure out. They’d fixed that by just writing Jim’s name in black sharpie on a pink apron. Sulu stuck his hand out and Jim pulled a freshly charged walkie talkie from the chargers under the register to give him. “Small blessings,” Sulu muttered to himself before taking a deep breath. When he looked at Jim again, it was with a dazzling customer-service smile. “Ready for duty, Captain.”

“To the coffee station!”

“Aye aye, Captain.” 

Sulu frog marched, just for Jim’s amusement, all the way downstairs. Although the two women pacing the science fiction section got a kick out of it too. 

Jim clipped a walkie to his apron now that Sulu was on shift. In another hour, Gaila would be on hand too. Once she came in, Jim could go in the back office and work on their finances. Or call it an early day and go on a date with someone cute.

“Are you playing country music?”

Deja vu. “You know, in Iowa, country— Bones!” Jim nearly leapt over the counter. Speaking of someone cute. Although, it was hell to get Bones to ever come to the shop. A miracle itself. “I thought you were working all day today. Did you bring me something? Don’t pretend you didn’t. You totally refuse to come when I’m on shift.”

“Tiberius,” Bones answered with a scowl, ducking in and putting a take out bag on the wood counter. “I can also call you by a dumb name.”

“Harsh, Leonard _Horatio_ McCoy. Bones is a cool nickname. You’re a surgeon.” Jim pawed through the bag, crowing with delight at the fried okra, mash potatoes, and pork chops. “Oh my god, are you serious?” The smell was mouth-watering and the food was still steaming hot. He moaned and made orgasmic faces at Bones. 

Who scowled harder, despite the flush creeping up his neck. “Just this once, damn you. It’s a special occasion. And I’m not an orthopedic surgeon, I’m a cardiothoracic surgeon.” 

“God, bad-for-me food and big words? Bones, please, I don’t have a change of underwear stashed here.”

“It means I don’t work on bones, you infant!”

Jim was already elbow deep in the mash potatoes, leaning directly over the takeout container. The two women were still immersed, paying no mind to his shenanigans. They’d probably been in enough times to know better. Mouth full, he asked, “what’s the occasion?” 

Bones’ mouth closed so fast, Jim swore he heard his teeth clack together. Bones shoved his hands in his jeans, rocking onto the front of his feet in a mock-bounce. All signs that Bones was nervous. Uncommon. Jim swallowed hard around his bite, stomach turning. “Don’t look like that,” Bones said in a rush. “I know you don’t like to celebrate it and I can’t bring you alcohol to work.”

Oh yeah. Jim had forgotten, between the Little Golden Books and the bustle of restock. Suddenly, all the takeout food didn’t seem so great. He put his fork down. 

“You brought me lunch cause of my dad?”

Which only made Bones look more flustered. His eyebrows pinched together and down almost immediately. Actually, that look was angry. Unfair. Jim was the angry one. He didn’t really want to think about his _dead dad_ today when he thought his friend was being weirdly kind. Jim would just rather nobody talk about his dad ever. 

“Are you kidding me?” Bones hissed, leaning closer. “I brought you food cause it’s your birthday! Not everything revolves around your daddy issues. You’re _welcome_ , by the way. It wouldn’t kill you to learn some manners, Kirk. I know Winona taught you better than that.”

Fuck. “Wait, wait, Bones. Len,” Jim called, trying to reach over the counter to grab the back of Bones’ button up. He got a good hold of it, in a tight enough grip that the shirt would probably wrinkle. And nearly spilled his food in the process. “Shit. I’m sorry! Thank you, okay.” Bones still refused to turn around, crossing his arms over his chest. “It was super thoughtful of you to bring me something for my birthday. Although most people would bring cake.”

“Ma made that for you,” Bones grumped back.

“Oh my god, this is from Scarlet?” Jim nearly let go of Bones just to get back to eating. He reeled himself in, focusing. “You went all the way to Scarlet’s farm to get me a homemade birthday meal, Bones?”

Bones stayed stubbornly still for another minute before muttering to himself. He turned back around, face cleared of most of the anger that had clouded it. “You make it real hard sometimes, Jim.” He just sighed instead before nodding. “Figured you’d like that better than cake. I know how much you love my ma’s cooking.” 

“Yeah.” Jim couldn’t help but smile. It was such a Bones-like gesture. Jim was pretty sure Scarlet’s food was the food of the gods. He really wished he hadn’t thought it was some weirdo thing about his dead dad. Bones deserved way better. Maybe a parade. Maybe a handjob. “I’m sorry I suck. You’re amazing. Can I make it up to you with dinner tonight?”

That was somehow not the best question. Bones immediately began to fidget and worry his lip. “Look, Jim, I’d love to. But I brought you lunch cause I have plans tonight. I’d cancel them if I could but—!”

“Dude, no worries. Who’s your hot date?”

Bones blushed. 

“Oh. Oh is it... actually a hot date?”

“No, no. It’s not like that. Dr. Spock’s just a colleague from work. Turns out most of my patients get referred to me by his primary care. We’ve had lunch a few times and we’re attending a conference together tonight and tomorrow.” 

Jim fiddled with his walkie, accidentally switching the comms channel. He twisted it back and then tugged at the antenna. “Are you telling me all this so I won’t be jealous? Bones, it’s okay. I’m your friend. If you met a sexy doctor guy, it’s totally okay.” 

“Jim,” Bones groaned, staring at his shoes. The tips of his ears were red. “It’s not that I think you’ll be jealous.”

“I know it’s weird cause sometimes we’re FWB—” 

“God help me.” 

“—but whatever makes you happy makes me happy!”

Bones sighed; it was heavy and sounded disappointed. “Alright, Jim. You enjoy your food, I guess. I’ll see you in a couple days?”

Jim grinned. He played off Bones’ emotional rollercoaster. It was a lesson he learned ages ago; trying to keep up with Bones could give you emotional whiplash for days. It was better not to read into the sighs too much. At least, better for Jim’s mental health. “Yeah, Bones. I’ll be here, like always.” 

A couple days turned into a week and then into two. Jim’s texts to Bones mostly get returned with _busy with double shifts_ or one word answers. 

Gaila and Hendorff were on shift today, laughing as they pinned on each other’s name tags. 

“What does the G stand for?” Gaila asked, tying her fiery hair back into a big, fluffy bun. She settled it haphazardly directly on top of her head. But, as always, it defied gravity. Jim was pretty convinced she was not-of-this-world. Especially with all the green makeup she wore. Not that Jim didn’t love her makeup. She always stood out but totally owned every minute of the attention like she fed on it. Gaila was one of his favorites. 

Hendorff was hard to miss too. Jim swore to Sulu that he hadn’t hired the newer staff based on looks but you wouldn’t exactly picture someone like Hendorff in a bookshop. He was tall and broad, more a bouncer than a shelf stocker. Somehow, though, he always reminded Jim of cupcakes instead of bar fights. 

“Oh, uh, it’s for Gael. Gael Peter Hendorff.” 

“Gale?” Gaila looked delighted. 

Jim couldn’t help but butt in, bored of wiping down the counters and sulking. “Like in the _Scream_ series?” 

Hendorff looked like he was trying to wreck his memory over that reference. “No?” He spelled his first name out loud. “It’s Irish. My mother is Irish.” 

Gaila pouted. “Gale is still a boy’s name too, unlike in _Scream_. I’d like to remind everyone of hottie Gale Hawthorne.” Hendorff gave her a blank look. “From _The Hunger Games_? Liam Hemsworth? Although, you do look more like a Chris Hemsworth fan though.”

“Mm, Chris Hemsworth. I’d call that man daddy anyday,” Jim sighed wistfully.

“Nevermind. I think your name is lovely. Better than G. P.” Gaila winked. 

“Cupcake is the best though,” Jim sang and Hendorff rushed off downstairs, ears bright red. 

“Speaking of terribly accurate nicknames. What’s got you down in the dumps, Princess?” Gaila asked Jim as she picked up a box of new books for the front window display. 

Jim trailed after her, glass cleaner and paper towels in hand. Half just a poor excuse to air his woes. It wasn’t that Jim had never had a long break from seeing Bones. They were both busy adults with their own lives and friends. Their worlds just didn’t really collide or mesh. Which was fine. Jim knew better than to try to visit Bones at work. He was busy and didn’t have free time to entertain Jim. The other surgeons probably wouldn’t take kindly to the distraction either. 

And they weren’t dating. Definitely not dating. 

“Bones has been too busy to hang out,” he mumbled, spraying the inside of the window down. Gaila took a paper towel and, between them both, they scrubbed and cleaned until it was sparkling. 

She laid out small wooden stands and risers. All in strategic locations that only made sense to whatever vision she had in mind. Jim sat on the edge of the display area, still pouting as he watched. “This seems like more than just lonely-Jim. Your lower lip is sticking so far our, I could put a book on it.” 

“Well, I mean, he’s probably just busy with a guy from work so it’s not a big deal or anything. But he’s too busy to even text me properly! Like how hard is a text message?” 

Gaila stood up straight, staring at him. “Wait, wait. Leonard is _dating_ someone?” 

“Probably? They had plans on my birthday.” 

“ _The_ Leonard McCoy?” 

“Oh my god, Gaila, yes! You’ve only known him like a year and a half now.” 

“Duh! That’s why I’m shocked. Have you seen him? That’s your sometimes fuck-buddy, Jim! I thought he was in love with you this whole time and you were just too thick headed and dumb to see it.” 

“Thick headed?” 

Gaila started a stack of purple spined books, spiraling them like a mini staircase. “I could have sworn. I mean, Hikaru and Ben are pretty ridiculous with the sparkly love eyes thing when Ben visits the store. But Leonard? Well, I never see him at the store. But when we’re over at your place, that man stares at you like you’ve hung the moon.” 

“What?” Jim tried to imagine that face. All that came to mind was Bones scowling or looking vaguely pissed off. His RBF was strong. “He does not.” 

“I swore he did. Maybe not if he decided to date someone else.” 

“It’s some doctor from work,” Jim sighed. He snagged a biography from Gaila’s sorted piles. On the front cover was a photo of Dolly Parton, in her busty glory. “People get wrapped up in their new relationships though. Bones wouldn’t be any different I guess.” 

“You sound awful sad for all the supportive best friend phrases you’re quoting.” 

“I miss hanging out! It’s been two whole weeks.” 

“Sure, Jim. It’s not just _him_ you miss, uh huh. Maybe I mixed it up. Maybe you were the one throwing forlorn glances and hiding your love.” 

Jim scoffed and threw the biography back onto Gaila’s piles. “Yeah, sure. I’ve been secretly in love with my best friend for years and I hadn’t even noticed until he started seeing some hot doctor. My life is not some clearance romcom.” 

Gaila shrugged. 

The bookshop stayed relatively quiet into the afternoon. So much so that Jim agreed to take on the first half of Sulu’s shift so he can pick up his daughter Demora from school. The coffee station was pretty easy. Their shop was small enough that they didn’t really get coffee rushes and Jim honestly enjoyed crafting coffee drinks. The hazelnut latte with extra espresso pumps he sold to one customer sounded particularly heavenly. 

“Can you make me a chai?” Hendorff asked, bussing tables in the coffee area for Jim. 

The chai led to a mocha frap for Gaila on her way out and an oilang for Zahra on her way in for the evening shift. Sulu would probably want a regular latte. If he brought Demora, Jim could make a hot cocoa. Jim was more of a plain coffee drinker, if he bothered. Coffee was always more of Bones’ thing. If he stayed the night at Bones’ place, Jim could count of two steaming cups of coffee being ready in the morning. No matter how little Bones could function before he drank a cup. There was no coffee maker at Jim’s, not yet anyway. Maybe he’d get one around Christmas. It’d be easier on Bones when he visited. Otherwise, Jim always ran out to the nearest coffee shop to bring back something with a lot of espresso and a lot of chocolate. 

In the winter, he’d get Bones mint mochas. They were his favorite. 

Not that there would be a lot of sleeping over anymore. No early mornings just snuggling into Bones, smelling cheap cologne or the whiskey they had the night before. No clothes littering his floor or Bones shoving a cup of coffee at him. 

It hit him like cold water and he knocked over the coffee he was making for himself, hissing when the hot liquid splashed him. “Fuck, fuck,” he muttered under his breath, looking around quickly. No one was downstairs at the moment. Fantastic, because Jim was suddenly crying. He knelt over the puddle on the floor, throwing a rag over the mess while hastily wiping away tears. 

He _was_ an idiot, a huge moron. Bones had been his friend for like a decade now. Everything had been Jim’s idea including being friends with benefits. It would take an alien species from another world to not consider Bones attractive. He was always popular, wherever he went. Jim had been sexually attracted to him too, obviously. It had felt totally natural to ask during a Lord of the Rings marathon, _hey want to sleep together sometimes too?_ Jim could still remember the way Bones had gone awful quiet in the middle of his Éomer impression before saying sure, as casual as you please. 

It should have been Jim’s first clue, wanting that side of Bones to himself. Jim hadn’t seriously dated anyone since they had started their agreement. Neither had Bones, come to think of it. Like they were committed or maybe scared of the unfamiliarity of a relationship with someone else. 

No wonder Gaila had called him thick headed. 

And Jim had missed out on telling Bones just how he felt. Now, there was a sexy doctor somewhere, taking Bones away. Going on fancy dates to fancy restaurants that Jim could never afford. Probably talking about medical stuff that was way over Jim’s head. He could learn new subjects relatively fast but medical stuff was never his thing. Bones had found someone who was better for him, more similar, not afraid to say what they wanted. Not that Bones had ever wanted Jim, probably. He could recall how uncomfortable that silence was, in the light of Rohirrim’s golden lit scenes and Gríma’s gross come-ons. 

“Are you _crying_ , Jim?”

Jim looked up at Sulu, sniffling. “No,” he said, voice thick. He cleared it, coughing when that didn’t help at all and scrubbed at his face harder. “I spilled some coffee and might have burned myself a little. You shouldn’t sneak up on people. It’s rude.”

“You’re not exactly the cry-over-spilled-coffee guy. Look, get up. I got this. Go fix your makeup and go home. Thanks for taking an extra hour for me. Demora had dance so she couldn’t come but she told me to say hi to Uncle Jim for her.” Sulu gave Jim a hand up, taking the soiled rag from him, and patting his shoulder awkwardly. “Hope you feel better, man, whatever this is about.”

“Really, just the coffee. Such a klutz.” Jim laughed but it sounded hollow even to him. “Thanks, Hikaru, I appreciate it.”

“Oh god, first name. Now I know it’s serious.”

“Shut up! Why do I like you!” Jim fled upstairs, where he didn’t have to talk about his feelings. 

Splashing his face with cold water helped. He still had thirty minutes before his shift ended, no matter what Sulu said. Jim didn’t walk out early. Half the time he was here way too late. Maybe not today. His eyes were a bit puffy. The redness was fading at least. He washed the coffee from his hands, checked for any minor burns, and shuffled back to the front counter. 

Zahra smiled at him, giving him a small salute before grabbing a box of books to shelve and vacating the cash register area. 

Jim turned to get his satchel and jacket ready to leave. 

Sulu’s voice crackled over the walkie at his hip. “Go home, Kirk.” 

Jim ignored it although Zahra quickly chimed in. “He’s at the cash register.” She was a no good snitch. 

The bell over the door went off. 

Jim turned the volume down on his walkie just as Sulu went in on a long rant about the stained linoleum Jim had left him and the raise he needed for dealing with this shit. Honestly, he should have kept listening to Sulu because, despite Jim’s life shattering realization, the man who had just walked into his shop looked like he had hopped out of some modeling magazine. Discreetly, Jim pinched his thigh. Nope, definitely still awake. 

“Welcome to Evermind.” He tried not to stare or drool as the new customer walked literally right up to the counter. Oh god, his cheekbones were to die for. Was he wearing blue eyeshadow? If he was, even his eyebrows were plucked and edged to perfection. Jim felt like he was staring into the sun. Even the weird hairstyle choice of a bowl cut was oddly perfect. 

The man seemed amused and Jim snapped his mouth shut. “Are you the owner?” He looked down at Jim’s apron. “I had some books on order. Under Grayson?” 

God, Jim wanted to be under Grayson too. 

“Yep, sure, let me just—” Jim turned around before he could make an ass of himself. Except he tripped over his own satchel in his haste to get to back counter where the packaged orders waited. Grayson was written in thick black sharpie on a relatively small one. “Just the one?” 

“Affirmative.” 

Jim scooped it up, checking for the receipt. No receipt. Which meant he had to do a whole transaction with Grayson standing right in front of him. Looking like _that_. While Jim was dealing with some heartache and probably uncomfortably close to rebound territory despite not having been broken up with. Ugh, why would Bones even be into him when he was like this? Just falling into lust over every cute customer. 

“Let me just ring this up.” 

Grayson nodded, pulling a leather wallet out of his fancy black overcoat. “I was recommended this bookstore by a work colleague. I am impressed with the stock. Your staff are commendable as well. A young man named Pavel helped me order the medical journals I wanted.” 

Jim grinned and Grayson gave him the smallest smile in return. “Pavel is a good kid. He’s our youngest employee. He’ll be so stoked to know he made a good impression.” He put the package on the counter, sliding it over. “Total will be $32.50. I thought medical journals were available through subscription services nowadays? Beam ‘em straight to your PADDs. It was probably good Pavel was here to order it for you. I didn’t know they offered backstock on journals to little places like us.” 

“Yes, usually. I do have a subscription to this one. Unfortunately, last year I missed the renewal window so I missed 52 issues. I admit, I am a completionist. I do not want to miss any vital information.” 

“So you’re a doctor?” 

Grayson handed over forty dollars in cash. “At Vulcan Primary Care.”

Hot and a doctor. Jim clearly had a type. He handed Grayson his change, trying not to read into it when Grayson’s touch lingered. 

“I have been meaning to ask,” Grayson said, cutting the silence. He pocketed his wallet after meticulously putting his change away. The package was left on the counter. Grayson moved closer, looking at Jim intently. “The name of your shop is intriguing. Did you pick it out yourself?” 

Jim nodded, dumb in silence as he stared into Grayson’s frankly unfair, gorgeous, coppery-brown eyes. When was the last time Jim saw a pair of brown eyes and thought they were beautiful? 

“It is a reference to simbelmynë?” 

Oh no. He was a hot, nerdy doctor. Jim was fucked. His customer-service smile went from 0 to 100 watt if Grayson’s surprised face was any indication. “Yes! No one has ever figured it out, like literally the entire time I’ve owned this shop. Even my best friend, who lets me force Lord of the Rings marathons on him all the time. Oh my god!”

“I studied Tolkien as part of my electives before my medical program. I am a fan. The movies were interesting adaptations.” 

“I love them, even though they’re not perfect. You can tell they were a passion project. Instant classics! Who is your favorite character? It’s a tie for me between Éomer and Faramir.” 

Grayson cleared his throat, looking the slightest bit uncomfortable. Although, Jim had to admit it was hard to really figure out what he was feeling. His expressions were so muted. “I have always been a fan of the elves. The Lothlórien elves, specifically. Perhaps Haldir if I had to choose.” 

“You sound a little ashamed that you like the elves. Literally everyone loves the elves.”

“When I was younger, I liked to put on pointed ears.” 

Jim couldn’t help the squeak of pure joy that escaped him. He slapped a hand over his mouth and tried not to make more sounds as he imagined a little Grayson with pointed ears. “You have pictures?” It was muffled behind his hands. 

“Thankfully, no. At least, not that my mother has seen fit to tell me.” 

Jim laughed. He fished a few coupons out of his pocket and leaned closer over the counter, whispering. “Look, here’s a few coupons. You really turned my entire day around. It was rough but it seems maybe a little not-so-bad and manageable now.” 

This time Grayson’s hand did close around Jim’s. “It was my pleasure. You are beautiful when your smile reaches your eyes, like sapphires in sunlight.” 

Jim could practically feel his own blush spreading. “Oh, wow. You aren’t shy, are you? Wow. Okay, I’ll admit you are incredibly hot and I am so flustered I may pass out.” Grayson let his hand go, chuckling. “I’m super flattered. Like ridiculously. But I sort of just realized I’m in love with my best friend and dealing with the fact that he’s dating this guy he knows from work?”

“In love with your best friend?”

“Yeah,” Jim sighed, thinking of how gentle Bones could be with him. Running his hands through Jim’s hair during movie marathons. Letting Jim nap on his shoulder or thigh. Taking care of all his scrapes and bruises. “Ridiculously in love with. Not sure how I missed it.” 

Grayson made a thoughtful noise. He tucked his package under his arm. “Fascinating. There seems to be a bit of that going around,” he said with a mysterious look that left Jim baffled. “I wish you luck. If you should change your mind, you can always change primary care doctors and come to my practice.”

Effortlessly, like he had known Jim for far longer than ten minutes, Grayson made him laugh off all the melancholy. “Yeah, sure. I’ll let you know when I stop avoiding all doctors ever. I hate needles and medicine.”

“Perhaps a coffee then.” Grayson switched the package to his other hand and dug around in a different pocket. He produced a business card. “A friendly coffee.” 

“I have a coffee place downstairs, you know,” Jim said with a grin, already pocketing the card without a second look or thought. Just in case. Maybe he would change his mind. After he talked to Bones and buried any hope he might have. 

Grayson did not smile, but Jim bet it was a near thing. “Until next time.” 

“Go in peace!” Jim shouted when the door was almost closed. Grayson gave him a glance of a real, uninhibited smile as he glanced back through the window, shaking his head. 

The silence of the bookshop was uncanny and lonely once Jim was all alone again. He sighed, checked the time, and undid his apron. 

“Wow, he was hot,” Zahra commented and Jim nearly jumped a foot in the air. He caught his foot on a box and crashed to the floor. “Whoops. Sorry, bossman. That’ll need a bandaid.” She pointed to his elbow. Definitely bleeding. 

Jim groaned from the floor. “This is your fault.”

Zahra plucked his walkie from his apron. She didn’t offer him a hand up. Just turned the sound back up on his walkie. She held down the button on the side. “Sending him home, Sulu. He got a mysterious boo-boo and has to go take care of it right away.” 

There was nothing to say in the face of Zahra’s victorious posing and Sulu’s smug goodbye over the walkie talkie. Jim pulled himself together before heading home, trying to think about how to talk to Bones and definitely not thinking about Grayson or the business card in his back pocket.

**Author's Note:**

> This fanfiction is incredibly self-indulgent and I hope you enjoy it even half as much as I do, thinly veiled references and all. 
> 
> I love the song _Jolene_ ; it's one of my favorite country songs (right up there with Reba McEntire's _Fancy_ ) and reminds me so much of angsty McKirk. Hang in there with me and we'll get to the confessions and kisses and OT3!


End file.
